Boxing In Japan: Honoso Wins Wins OPBF Crown In Tokyo

ByDanny Wilson

Tokyo’s famed Korakuen Hall was the scene of the action this weekend in Japan and on Saturday night, the hallowed venue played host to a OPBF Featherweight title contest.

Yokahama slugger Satoshi Hosono had won the belt against Makyo Sugita in October and came into the first defense of the OPBF crown with a flawless career record.

Challenging Honoso was 34 year old Tokyo native Masaki Sawanaga, who had seen a six bout win streak evaporate at the hands of Nakoi Matsuda in their bout for the vacant Japanese title this past October.

Throwing caution to the wind, Sawanaga went after Hosono from the start and forced a full-out firefight that surprised the 25 year old champion.

But Hosono’s quality began to shine through after the initial shock of the challenger’s assault wore off and he began a campaign of attrition, rattling the oncoming Sawanaga time after time with beautiful counter shots.

By the fourth, Sawanaga was coming apart at the seams and Hosono wasted no time in gunning the local man down with a vicious two handed barrage that ended the contest at 0:52 of the frame.

Hosono sees his record to 14-0 (11) and could face fellow Yokahama resident Matsuda in a unification bout should the Japanese Champion get past Koji Umetsu in their clash next month at Korakuen Hall.

Sawanaga drops to 22-9-4 ((8).

Also seeing action was Filipino light flyweight Richard Garcia, 18-10 (4), who won a difficult majority decision against towering Kawasaki man Masayuki Kuroda, 12-3 (9), after ten rounds in the trenches.

Tokyo southpaw Nihito Arakawa, 14-1-1 (10), rebounded from his draw against OPBF Lightweight Champ Randy Suico in September by toppling crosstown rival Shinya Yoroizuka, 11-3-1 (5), who saw a three bout victory roll come to an end.

On Thursday at Korakuen Hall, ex-Japanese Lightweight, Light Welter and Welterweight Champion Tadashi Yuba, 33-5-2 (24), rebounded from the loss of his domestic 147 pound belt by crushing local light middleweight Chihiro Terada, 7-8-5 (1), in the first round.

The Miyazaki based southpaw is gunning for a rematch with Koji Numata should the current Japanese Welter Champ retain his title in the rematch against Daisuke Nakagawa two weeks from now.